Structural Protection Crew Worker
Emergency Response
Crew members work to protect houses and buildings by performing triage of the property, performing FireSmart actions, setting up sprinklers, laying hose, and safeguarding structures from encroaching flames. Fast-paced, high-stakes work.
Experience/Training Req.
EXPERIENCE LEVEL
SEASONALITY
High
PHYSICAL DEMANDS
This role is high-impact and high-trust—you’re the last line of defense for real places people care about. It’s ideal for workers who want to be close to fire action, but prefer systems thinking over saws and shovels and those with good public relations skills excel in these roles. There’s little downtime; you’re almost always solving problems in real-time. It’s also a solid foot in the door for fire operations, logistics, or initial attack roles. You get to move fast, make things work under pressure, and see the results of your setup when structures survive a burn. Plus, it builds transferable skills in pumps, field water systems, and site coordination.
A DAY IN THE LIFE
When a wildfire threatens a populated area, your crew may be deployed on short notice. You’ll pack up trailers of equipment such as pumps, hoses, sprinklers and water tanks, and wrapping materials, then head out to protect at-risk structures. Once on site, your day is about speed, strategy, and setup. You'll clear vegetation, lay out sprinkler lines on roofs, eaves, and around structures and ensure water is flowing to wet down some surfaces and create a humidity bubble. It’s equal parts firefighting, plumbing, and field rigging.
You're often leapfrogging between properties, coordinating with suppression teams, and managing gear in challenging terrain. Downtime is spent doing gear checks, restocking, or waiting for redeployment orders. You do not often fight fire directly; rather, you attempt to keep structures from going up if the flames and embers reach them.
WORKING CONDITIONS
Expect to be mobile, responsive, and on-call. Deployments can be in the wildland urban interface zones, or sometimes more remote locations. You’ll often be working along roadsides, rural properties, or remote lodges—sometimes flown in or convoyed out. You’ll work in smoke, heat, or shifting weather, hauling gear through uneven terrain. The setups are physical, but also technical—requiring you to plan water flow, check pressure, and adjust gear on the fly. You’ll be camping or bunking in emergency accommodations during deployments, sometimes for days or weeks at a time. It’s a bit of firefighting, a bit of field logistics, and a lot of readiness.
CYCLICAL NATURE OF ROLE
This is a wildfire-season role, most active between June and September. Crews are often deployed for short bursts depending on fire movement, but some workers float between structural protection, fuels, and wildfire suppression, and hazardous fuel reduction projects depending on contracts.
REQUIRED EDUCATION & TRAINING
The BC Wildfire Service provides role specific training, with a Structure Protection Strategies course (WSPP-115). Prerequisites for being on a structural protection crew include:
S-100 / S-185 wildfire training
Basic First Aid/Occupational First Aid – Level 1 and Transportation Endorsement or higher
Incident Command System – 100 Level
Other certifications which competitive applicants often have:
WHMIS training
Transportation of Dangerous Goods training
Basic Chainsaw Operations
Class 5 Driver’s License
REQUIRED SOFT SKILLS
You’ll need to stay calm, think ahead, and adapt to changing fire conditions. Good spatial awareness, crew coordination, and field improvisation are key—especially when every minute counts and infrastructure is at risk.
REQUIRED HARD SKILLS
Knowledge of pumps, fire hydrants, hose setups, water pressure, and sprinkler layout is key. Many crews also handle wrapping, affix sprinklers to buildings, so working with ladders and an understanding how to secure material to buildings safely and efficiently is a plus. You'll need solid physical conditioning and the ability to troubleshoot gear under pressure.
ON THE JOB LEARNING
Pump and hose setup for fire suppression
Sprinkler and wrap system installation
Rapid field deployment under pressure
Site triage, logistics and risk assessment
Fireground coordination and communications
Emergency problem-solving, public relations and crew support
FUTURE CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
Many workers move into fire suppression, fuels management, logistics coordination, or site planning roles. Some develop into structural protection specialists or crew leaders. The skills are also transferable to emergency services, disaster response, or wildfire risk planning for communities.